Shadowed
by starlightwalking
Summary: It's been two summers since Fin-Kedinn and Dark last saw Torak and Renn. Now they receive word their friends have been sighted in the Deep Forest, but they haven't spoken to anyone. Why are they being so secretive, and where are Wolf and Darkfur? COMPLETE.
1. How Long Has It Been?

**This is my first CoAD fic, so be nice. :) Please review!**

* * *

**SHADOWED  
****CHAPTER ONE**

**How Long Has It Been?**

* * *

It was summertime, and the Raven Clan was busy. The camp bustled with action: women cooking broth, men carrying fish, children playing and running around. The heat of the sun was less now that evening was nearing, and the elders of the clan could be seen outside their huts, telling stories to their grandchildren.

Two men sat apart from the tribe, a small distance away from the camp, beneath a tree. One was old but healthy-looking, the other young but disturbingly pale. They sat in silence, quietly watching the activities of their clan.

"Malor's back," the young man said suddenly, his eyes following a handsome, broad-shouldered man, looking to be about twenty summers old. "Looks like he brought his share of salmon."

"He's a good hunter," the older man observed. There was another pause. The broad-shouldered man, Malor, took the several salmon he had to a young woman sitting at a pot and offered them to her with a flourish. "A good warrior, too."

"Rather arrogant," the young man observed.

"Less so than Hord was, Dark," the older man countered. "He's fair and will become wise in time. He will be a good leader for Raven Clan when I am gone."

"You still have many years left as our leader, Fin-Kedinn," Dark protested. "Don't talk like that!"

"I must choose my successor now," Fin-Kedinn said simply. "And I have no kin left in Raven Clan to make the decision easy. I did consider Tamun, but he is too easily persuaded and unsure of himself."

"Tamun is kinder," Dark said, but his protests were not violent, simply mildly interested. "He would listen to everyone. Malor is more biased."

"He will grow out of it," Fin-Kedinn said firmly. "I was biased and arrogant in my youth. Experience will grant him wisdom."

"That is true," Dark admitted.

There was another calm silence. The sun was nearing the horizon, and the shadows in the far off forest were long and dark.

"I wish Renn had stayed," Dark said softly. "She knew what she was doing, with all the Mage things... Durrain helped a lot, but she had to go too soon."

Fin-Kedinn sighed. "I wish she had stayed, too," he admitted. "With you as our Mage, she could have been my replacement."

"She went with Torak, though," Dark murmured. "It was all for the best, but still..."

"Still..." Fin-Kedinn echoed.

There was another silence.

"How long has it been since they visited us?" Dark asked.

Fin-Kedinn frowned, remembering. For the first few moons, Torak and Renn had visited frequently. After their fourth visit, they were happy to announce they had formally become mates. It pained Fin-Kedinn to see his niece all grown up, but she was happy, and so was Torak, his foster son.

But then all of a sudden, the visits had stopped. They still heard from their friends—a message from Willow Clan, or Auroch Clan, or Red Deer Clan told the Ravens Torak and Renn were doing well—but not in two summers had they come to either of the Raven Clan camps.

"Two summers," Fin-Kedinn answered his Mage.

"Two summers... and their last message?" Dark added.

Fin-Kedinn bit his lip as he thought. "Eight or nine moons, give or take."

"I'm getting a bit worried," the Mage said. "What if something has happened to them?"

"Torak and Renn dealt with the Soul Eaters by themselves," the Raven leader pointed out. "And they have Wolf and Darkfur with them."

"Yes..." Dark said slowly. "But still. Even if they're not in trouble, why have they stopped talking to us?"

"I don't know," Fin-Kedinn murmured. "I hope they remember us soon."

Dark sighed. "I do, too." He frowned, as if remembering something. "I met with a Boar Clan hunting party yesterday, while gathering some roots. The head of the party talked so much I stopped listening, but..." He cleared his throat.

Fin-Kedinn scowled at Dark. "Yes?" he asked, suddenly worried.

"She mentioned that a messenger from Red Deer Clan—from Durrain—was resting with their clan for a few days." Dark looked up at the Raven leader, meeting his aged, wise eyes. "It slipped my mind until now, but... I think he mentioned the messenger had news about 'some of my friends'. He must have meant Torak and Renn."

"What?" Fin-Kedinn asked in surprise. "Well, what news?"

Dark shrugged helplessly. "I don't know. We'd have to visit the messenger in Boar Clan."

"They're not far from here," Fin-Kedinn exclaimed, half-rising. "Let's go and—"

"Fin-Kedinn," Dark said, the slightest bit alarmed. "Calm down! The messenger—if he's looking for us—will still be there tomorrow. Or he'll come find us. It's getting late, we can't go haring off now."

Fin-Kedinn sat down, glancing at the setting sun. "Yes," he admitted. "I'll wait 'til tomorrow."

"I'm coming with you," Dark said. "You can leave Malor in charge."

Fin-Kedinn smiled. "Alright."

The two men sat in silence for a while. Fin-Kedinn was reinvigorated, excited to hear more news of Torak and Renn. He missed them. Even with Dark for company and Malor to train in the ways of a leader, he missed his kin and foster son with every breath. He even missed Wolf, his mate Darkfur, their son Pebble, and the ravens Rip and Rek.

Suddenly, there was a commotion in the camp. Fin-Kedinn and Dark started and stood up.

Malor was talking loudly to a small man with earthen-caked hair. The earthen man—presumably from the Deep Forest—pointed over to the two standing men. Fin-Kedinn frowned and began to walked over to Malor and the Deep Forest man. Dark followed a step behind him.

"What's the matter, Malor?" Fin-Kedinn asked. Then he turned and nodded to the earthen man. "Greetings, friend." Up close, he recognized the clan-tattoos of the Red Deer Clan. His heart soared. Was this the messenger, come to see him?

"This man," Malor complained, "has hunted on Raven territory!"

"Please forgive me," the man said humbly. "I didn't know Raven Clan did not allow others to hunt in their lands."

"Peace, Malor," Fin-Kedinn ordered. "We have relaxed that law of late."

Malor scowled slightly, but bowed to the will of the clan leader. "Yes, Fin-Kedinn. I will remember."

Behind him, as Malor walked off, Fin-Kedinn heard Dark mutter, "Maybe he _can_ learn."

The earthen man bowed to Fin-Kedinn. "It was only a squirrel."

"You are forgiven," he said easily.

"Thank you," the man murmured. Then he straightened. "I am Fiwur of the Red Deer Clan. I bear a message from our mage—"

"Durrain?" Dark interrupted eagerly.

"Yes," Fiwur said, blinking. "Do you know her—" he glanced at Dark's odd trappings and pale skin— "Mage?"

"Yes, she helped teach me," Dark said with a smile.

Fiwur coughed and glanced away from the mage. "Durrain says to tell you that your friends Torak and Renn have been sighted in our hunting grounds."

"Do they bear a message?" Fin-Kedinn asked hopefully.

Fiwur shook his head. "No one has been able to stop them long enough to speak to them."

"Did you see a wolf with them?" Dark asked.

Once again, the Red Deer man shook his head. "No. All we saw was a young man about the age of your friend who greeted me—"

Fin-Kedinn glanced at Malor's retreating figure.

"—a young woman around as many summers, and a small child about two summers old." Fiwur paused. "Durrain recognized the man and the woman, but not the child."

Fin-Kedinn's eyes widened. He forgot, momentarily, how to breathe.

"A child?" he whispered, swaying slightly.

"Fin-Kedinn?" Dark asked, concerned. He could tell the young man was hiding shock of his own.

"I think I need to sit down," he murmured.

"Thank you for your message," Dark told Fiwur. He turned toward the camp where many of Raven Clan sat watching them, and beckoned one man over with a call of, "Tamun!"

Tamun, a tall, brown-haired man, got up quickly and raced over. "Yes, Mage?" he asked respectfully.

"Please show our guest to a place where he can eat and sleep," Dark ordered. "Thank you, Tamun." Then the pale mage turned to Fin-Kedinn and said gently, "Follow me."

Fin-Kedinn felt dizzy and, above all, shocked. He pushed away Dark's helping hands and walked firmly to the tree the leader and mage had been sitting at previously. He sat down heavily, his face in his hands.

"A child?" he repeated as Dark sat down beside him. "_Their_ child? And two summers old? Why didn't they _tell_ us?"

"And where are the wolves?" Dark asked, puzzled. "Why are they avoiding us? It just doesn't make sense!"

"Is something wrong?" Fin-Kedinn wondered aloud.

"I hope they come to us soon," Dark murmured.

"If they don't I might have to chase after them," the Raven leader said heavily.

Dark pursed his lips, but said nothing. There was silence between the two men as the sun set, and it continued into the evening, up until they bid each other goodnight and went to sleep.


	2. Seven Fishers and Three Wanderers

**:)**

* * *

**SHADOWED  
****CHAPTER TWO**

**Seven Fishers and Three Wanderers**

* * *

Two days passed. Fin-Kedinn grew increasingly distracted. Dark had persuaded him to stay with the Ravens and not run off into the Deep Forest alone, but he was still sorely tempted. The suspicious mage had put a watch on him in the form of Tamun, only increasing Fin-Kedinn's irritation.

Torak and Renn had a _baby_.

How could this be?

The two were nineteen summers old. Plenty of young couples had children at that age. But still—neither were exactly parenting material. And why had they not _told_ him? Fin-Kedinn couldn't wrap his head around it. It didn't make sense. He was a great-uncle? A foster grandfather?

They would need help with their child—was it a girl or a boy?—help Fin-Kedinn could give them. Advice. Assistance. Shelter. The care of a clan.

But why had they been so secretive? Had Torak not wanted to get dragged back into clan life?

Dark firmly insisted the Raven leader still be involved in normal clan life. Begrudgingly, Fin-Kedinn complied. Today he was in charge of a hunting party with a mix of Raven and Salmon Clans. Malor and Dark remained back at the camp. Tamun—of course—trailed behind him.

The hunting party was large, with seven members: three from Salmon Clan and four from Raven Clan. They were camped by the Widewater, salmon fishing.

Despite Dark's worries, Fin-Kedinn was not tempted to run away. He didn't need Tamun as a silent shadow. To distract himself from his confusion about his distant friends, Fin-Kedinn absorbed himself in the hunt.

Unfortunately, the hunt was only fishing, and not very exciting. The hunting trip was to last three days. The two clans would then carry their kills back to the Raven camp for preparation, where the goods would be split between them. Fin-Kedinn sat for endless hours, staring into the river, waiting for the fish to bite.

It was incredibly boring. This was good: it helped Fin-Kedinn calm down. Hunting of any kind could soothe him.

Still, at night, when the camp of hunters went to sleep by the river, Fin-Kedinn's thoughts returned to Torak, Renn, and their unknown child.

* * *

Fin-Kedinn pulled another salmon from his traps, shoving it into his basket of fish. The basket was almost overflowing from three days of hard work. He glanced up at the sky. The sun was slowly making its way toward the ground. The hunting party ought to start packing up for the return journey home.

The Raven leader stood. Opening his mouth to call out to his companions, he was interrupted. A woman from the Salmon Clan, sitting down river, shouted out, "Who passes?"

The other six fishers looked up, startled. Who was the Salmon woman talking to?

Then Fin-Kedinn saw them. Three figures, halted and standing off in the distance: a man, a woman, and a child. The Salmon woman beckoned to them again, and slowly—with reluctance, it seemed—the three figures started toward them.

Fin-Kedinn was growing old, with the aches and pains that came along with wisdom and experience. However badly his teeth sometimes ached, he had retained his good vision. Still, he found it hard to believe his eyes when the three figures neared the hunting party.

"Renn," he whispered through numb lips. "Torak..."

He blinked, took a deep breath, and cleared his head. It _was _them.

"Renn!" he called out joyously. "Did you forget about your old uncle?"

But, strangely, instead of breaking into a smile and running toward him, Renn scowled and glared at him. "You're not my uncle," she said in a voice that was not her own. "And I'm not Renn." She turned her head up to the tall, gangly young man at her side. "Do you know this man, Dar-Muin?"

_Dar-Muin?_ Fin-Kedinn wondered. But—that was clearly Torak! Confused, he turned to Tamun and the other Raven Clan hunters for support. They Torak and Renn, too, but the three people looked just as confused as Fin-Kedinn felt.

"Torak? Don't you remember me?" he asked uncertainly.

"Torak" shook his head, and unfriendly look in his eyes. "No. I don't know you. I am Dar-Muin of Hawk Clan."

"I am Fin-Kedinn, leader of Raven Clan," he said in a daze of confusion. "I—I apologize for my overeager greeting. It's just... you two look exactly like my foster son Torak and..." He swallowed, forcing the words out: "And my niece Renn, his mate."

"I am Vera of Willow Clan," the woman who wasn't Renn said coldly. She turned and picked up the child who was hiding behind her, holding him close to her chest.

The child was a little boy, about two summers old, with curly blonde locks and solemn grey eyes. He looked nothing like either Torak or Renn—no, Dar-Muin and Vera, Fin-Kedinn reminded himself—but seemed to have the attitude of his parents. Well, at least the cold, unfriendly attitude of Dar-Muin and Vera.

"This is our son, Anar," Vera said, smiling slightly at Anar. "Did your friends have a son?"

"No... no that I knew of, at least," Fin-Kedinn said with a frown. "It's been a while since I've seen them."

"We're _not_ Torak and Renn," Vera said sharply.

His hopes crushed, Fin-Kedinn scowled at them. Still... his scowled melted into a frown. They looked _exactly_ like Torak and Renn, except for their clan-tattoos and clan-creature skins.

Fin-Kedinn had visited Willow Clan several times, but he had never once seen a duplicate of Renn amongst them. Hawk Clan, much like Wolf Clan, wandered around the Open Forest, never camping in the same place for more than a couple nights. But Hawk Clan came to clan meets, and he had met their leader before. They weren't nearly as secretive as Wolf Clan, but they did like to keep to themselves.

What were the odds that two duplicates of the Spirit Walker and his mate had been wandering around the forest for years without anyone noticing?

Miniscule.

Fin-Kedinn made up his mind: something very strange was going on. Something that chilled his blood and made him shiver. Magecraft and dark doings.

He _had_ to get Vera, Dar-Muin, and Anar back to the Raven camp.

After a long, uncomfortable pause, Fin-Kedinn spoke. The other six fishers stared at him expectantly. Most looked confused. Tamun was very worried.

"Dar-Muin. Vera." He coughed. "Would you like to help us with our salmon? We were about to head back to our camp. You can spend the night with us, and take some salmon with you on your way back home."

Dar-Muin scowled at him. "Why would we want to go back with you? We can hunt on our own."

"Not here, you can't," Fin-Kedinn said mildly. "This is Raven Clan territory. By the decision of _all_ the Clans—including Hawk and Willow—our territory is for our hunters alone, unless said otherwise."

Vera pursed her lips and glanced at her mate. In her arms, Anar looked at Fin-Kedinn with those solemn grey eyes, staring deep into the Raven leader's own blue orbs.

Vera and Dar-Muin looked at each other for a very long time, as if having a silent conversation. At last, Dar-Muin looked away from his mate and forced a smile onto his face. "Of course. Thank you for your generous offer, Fin-Kedinn. We would be glad to accompany back to your camp."

He smiled. "I thought you'd like it."

* * *

On the way back to the Raven camp, Tamun walked beside Fin-Kedinn. The Salmon woman and two young Ravens, a brother and a sister, were chatting with the three wanderers, though Dar-Muin and Vera were very close-lipped about everything. Even Anar didn't make a sound, no matter how many funny faces, Della, the Raven girl, made at him.

When the group was almost to the camp, their full baskets weighing heavily in their hands, Tamun spoke.

"The other day, when the Red Deer messenger came, you told him we were relaxing the hunting laws," he said with a frown. "But now you're enforcing them?"

Fin-Kedinn glanced back and made sure Dar-Muin and Vera were occupied, before lowering his voice and murmuring to Tamun, "I had to get those three back to camp. Something's not right."

"Sure, they look a lot like Torak and Renn," Tamun argued, "but—"

"Keep your voice down!" Fin-Kedinn hissed. "I need Dark to take a look at them. We won't hurt them, not unless they hurt us, but we need them to stay, if only for a few days."

Tamun frowned, but said nothing more.

Fin-Kedinn readjusted his grip on his two baskets of salmon, scowled, and moved on.


	3. Four Kinds of Sick

_[ insert line to make the next line of text centered properly here ]_

* * *

**SHADOWED**

**CHAPTER THREE**

**Four Kinds of Sick**

* * *

Torak was sick.

Deep in his chest, there was a gnawing illness, sucking his strength, killing his hope, turning his world dark. He sweated feverishly, sure his moans of distress were disturbing his companions.

Around him, he heard the sad moans of the other creatures sharing his camp. It was the middle of the night—they were trying to sleep. Trying and failing: sleep would not come to the sick.

Beside Torak lay Renn, her normally reddish locks stained almost black with sweat. He reached over, his arm trembling feebly, and clasped hands with her. It was hard to keep his eyes open, but he locked gazes with her anyway.

"T-Torak," she stammered. "Is it—is it still n-night?"

Weakly, he nodded in response. "Yes," he rasped. "It's... it's worse at night, isn't it." It was less of a question and more of a statement: their illness was clearly much worse at night. They could hardly move at the time of the moon and stars, but during the day, they managed to stumble around well enough to survive.

The illness had been strong with them for four days now. They had been in the Deep Forest when it struck; for the first day, they stayed there. The next day, when their symptoms seemed lesser, they decided to travel toward the Open Forest, but at night the sickness grew stronger. Torak was certain it was not quite a natural illness, but he hadn't had the strength to discuss it with Renn yet.

"Much worse..." Renn mumbled in response. She let out a low moan. "Is... is Innis all right?"

Torak turned his head to his other side, where the little child Innis slept. Innis was not their son—neither he nor Renn felt responsible enough for a child quite yet—but a foundling from Auroch Clan. The Oak Mage had kidnapped him at the age of two summers and hidden him and a few others, planning to use them as tokoroths. When he and Renn had killed the Oak Mage four summers ago, most of the children were returned to their families.

No one had claimed the little two-summer-old boy. The Auroch Clan, in a fit of kindness and grief, took him in and attempted to raise him as their own. But there was something wrong with the boy, whom the clan had dubbed "Innis". He didn't grow. The Soul Eater's evil magecraft had stunted his health and his growth, though no demons had taken him for their own.

Only one summer ago, Torak and Renn, along with the wolves and ravens, had visited Auroch Clan while wandering through the Deep Forest. By this time, Innis was living by himself in a small hut, where his clan ignored him as much as possible. Renn had been outraged that the Aurochs were mistreating him, and had somehow convinced Torak to adopt the child. He had been upset, too, but he had been surprised at this suggestion.

Innis, now six summers old, was actually quite an intelligent child, despite his outward appearance of two. Torak hoped that someday Renn or another Mage could somehow help their foster child to grow to match his age.

As it was, he had grown to love Innis. Torak didn't think he was a particularly good father figure, but anything was better than how the Aurochs had been treating the boy.

But right now, Innis was sick along with the rest of them. Torak reached his other hand over the child's forehead. It was hot and sticky with sweat. The Auroch boy let out a low moan.

"No better than us," he croaked in answer to Renn's question. "Is... Wolf here?"

Usually, Wolf, Darkfur, and their cubs went hunting at night, but the sickness had affected them, too. Wolf and Darkfur had had two more litters; the second, with four pups, had joined Darkfur's old pack when they were old enough. The third, with only two, was too young to leave quite yet. Pebble had stayed with his parents and often acted as a babysitter.

Renn rolled her head over, glancing at the wolves. When she looked back to Torak, she said, "He's curled up with Darkfur. Pebble's trying to keep Leaf and Twig still, but he's sick, too."

Torak nodded weakly. Strangely, Darkfur and Wolf's latest litter were unaffected by the strange illness that had befall every other member of their camp.

"Pebble's too sick to do that," Renn mumbled. "The pups won't listen to him."

Torak groaned, knowing what she expected him to do. He struggled into a sitting position, his vision momentarily darkening, his head spinning in a rush. He groaned again, but managed to bark out a command in wolf talk: _Leaf! Twig! Sit still!_

Leaf growled unhappily, but she and her brother sat down next to Pebble. They would listen to the lead wolf, if not their brother.

Exhausted from only this little exertion, Torak collapsed back down onto his sleeping sack. Renn tried to smile at him, but it looked more like a grimace on her tired face.

"Only a few hours to dawn," she whispered. "It'll get better then."

Torak grunted in agreement. He squeezed her hand weakly, then let his eyes droop closed. He would try to sleep.

Only a few hours to dawn...

* * *

Torak slept restlessly, but dawn did come. As soon as the weak sunlight shone through the forest cover, he began to feel better.

Soon he was strong enough to stand. Wolf and Darkfur were nowhere to be seen. Pebble was still asleep, curled up beside his younger siblings. Leaf and Twig peered up at him with curious eyes.

_Badness gone?_ Twig asked him. Wolves didn't really have a word for "sick"; they used the term "bad" instead.

_Badness leaving,_ Torak replied. _Where are your parents?_

_Hunting,_ Leaf said. She turned and nosed Pebble. _He smells like badness still._

_It is leaving,_ Torak assured the cubs. He turned and gently picked up the still-sleeping Innis, placing him beside Renn. His sore muscles ached in protest, but he ignored the pain.

Torak busied himself around their camp, packing up and preparing to move. They had to get out of the Deep Forest soon.

As the sun rose higher in the sky, Torak felt stronger and healthier. But even at the sun's zenith, the gnawing illness remained in his chest, making him grumpier and unhappier than usual.

It took a while, but eventually Renn, Innis, and Pebble woke up. Leaf and Twig yipped excitedly, licking their brother's face. Wolf and Darkfur were still nowhere to be seen.

"Torak, have you been overexerting yourself?" Renn scolded him gently, her voice raspy. Innis sat on the ground at her feet, rubbing his eyes sleepily. He was still not fully awake.

He shrugged. "You weren't up, and I had nothing to do."

"We're leaving?" she asked him, eyeing their rolled up and ready to go packs.

"I want to go back to the Open Forest," he replied. He paused uncertainly. "Should we... visit Raven Clan?"

Renn's eyes lit up. "Could we?"

Torak scowled. The last time they had visited Raven Clan was two summers ago. Ever since, had always had a bad feeling about returning. Now that they were heading back toward that area... still, he didn't like it.

He knew Renn felt homesick, but... Torak ground his teeth. He missed Fin-Kedinn and Dark, but...

His chest hurt. His heart ached, muddling his thoughts. Maybe if he overcame his dread and returned, they wouldn't feel so sick: homesick, heartsick, friendsick, and just plain old _sick_.

Maybe Dark knew a cure for their strange nighttime illness.

That settled it. "Yeah," he told Renn. "Let's go back." Torak raised his hands, cupping them around his mouth, and howled, calling to Wolf: _Pack brother! We are leaving!_

There came an answering howl: _We will follow!_

The ravens Rip and Rek cawed, circling overhead. Torak forced a grin on his face and took the first step forward, back to Raven Clan.


	4. Friend or Foe?

**Hi guys! I'm sorry for not updating recently, but I've been busy and stressed out. While I do love writing fanfiction, it is, unfortunately, the first thing I have to cut when my life gets too busy. :( This will probably be my last update until December. I promise I'll be back, but I've got other things going on right now. :) Thanks for understanding!**

* * *

**SHADOWED**

**CHAPTER FOUR**

**Friend or Foe?**

Fin-Kedinn and the rest of the hunting party reached Raven Clan's camp early in the evening. The Ravens greeted their leader and his companions cheerfully, helping carry baskets of salmon to where the fish would be cleaned, then later cooked and stored.

The newcomers Dar-Muin, Vera, and Anar received several curious looks. A few of the Ravens came up to greet them enthusiastically as Torak and Renn, but the strangers only politely introduced themselves and refused further conversation.

When the crowd around them dispersed, Fin-Kedinn turned to the three wanderers. "Follow me," he ordered them. He led them toward the Mage's hut. Dark sat leaning against his home, his white hair messy and long. His eyes were closed. His hands hung loosely at his side. He was quite clearly asleep.

Fin-Kedinn bent down, wincing as his bones creaked, and shook the mage boy. Dark's pink eyes flew open in surprise. He reached up and clutched Fin-Kedinn's arm for a few moments, before relaxing as he realized who the Raven leader was.

"Oh, hi, Fin-Kedinn," Dark said bemusedly, struggling to his feet and yawning. "Sorry, I fell asleep on..." He trailed off as his eyes moved from Fin-Kedinn to the three wanderers. "Torak? Renn?" His gaze moved to the child. "And this is your baby?"

"We are not your friends Torak and Renn," Dar-Muin said tiredly, exasperated that so many were calling him and his mate by the wrong names. Was it Fin-Kedinn's imagination, or did the Hawk Clan man seem a little taller than he had before? Maybe it was just the change in lighting. The sun was setting, and the shadows in the trees were growing taller.

"Then...who are you?" Dark said, his voice guarded. His expression had quickly changed from excited and surprised to suspicious.

"I am Dar-Muin of Hawk Clan," the man said. "This is my mate, Vera, and our son, Anar."

"Greetings," Dark replied, his voice suddenly calm. "I am Dark, Mage of Raven Clan."

"Where are your clan-tattoos?" Vera asked, a hint of curiosity in her voice.

Dark frowned. "I was born in Swan Clan, but they...hated me. My father abandoned me before I could get them." He paused, looking away. "Torak found me in the mountains and brought me here. Then Durrain of Red Deer Clan trained me to be Mage of Raven Clan. So I don't have clan-tattoos."

Fin-Kedinn winced slightly. He should have realized Dark would be sensitive about such a subject. He couldn't recall any other queries about his lack of clan-tattoos, but from the tired way Dark answered Vera's question, he knew the boy must have told this story before. He made a mental note to ask Dark if he wanted some Raven clan-tattoos at a future date.

"Ah," Vera said, as if not quite sure how to respond to Dark's revelation.

There was an awkward silence. Fin-Kedinn broke it with a cough. "So," he said briskly, "Dark, would you like to give our guests a tour of the camp? They can explain their...situation...to you on the way."

Dark gave him a curious look, but replied with, "Sure, Fin-Kedinn. I'll talk to you tonight, then?"

"Yes," the Raven leader affirmed.

Dark nodded and led the three wanderers off toward the center of the camp. Fin-Kedinn scowled at the retreating backs of the four strange hunters. What was going on?

* * *

When Dark returned to his hut later that night, it was he this time who woke the man sleeping beside it. Fin-Kedinn took a deep yawn and shifted slightly, making room for Dark to sit next to him.

"So, what do you make of them?" the Raven leader asked.

Dark frowned. "There's something...off about them," he mused.

"I know," Fin-Kedinn said softly. "I can feel it, too."

"I told Tamun to keep a watch on their hut," Dark said quietly. "I don't want them running off before morning. I'm not sure what it is, but..." He shuddered. "They make my blood crawl."

"They look so much like Torak and Renn," Fin-Kedinn murmured.

"I'm worried about them," the mage admitted. "What if..." He bit his lip. "I don't know if this is possible, but maybe they're demons inside Torak and Renn's bodies."

"Demons?" Fin-Kedinn said in horror. "But—wouldn't it be more obvious?"

"Yes," Dark admitted. "It should, at least, in theory. And their clan-tattoos are different. So I don't think that's really possible."

Fin-Kedinn shuddered, suddenly afraid. "Is it magecraft, what's going on?"

"It has to be," Dark muttered. "I don't see how it couldn't be."

Suddenly, there was a shout from across the camp. It was Tamun's familiar voice: "Stop! Don't go any furth—"

Dark gasped and shot to his feet. Fin-Kedinn got up soon afterward, his old bones creaking in protest. He had been sitting too long. He felt sore.

Tamun's voice had been cut off suddenly. Fin-Kedinn squinted through the darkness: he had fallen to the ground. Dark growled something under his breath and sprinted toward the commotion.

Dark's words echoed in Fin-Kedinn's ears: "_I told Tamun to keep a watch on their hut..."_ Were the wanderers running away? As quickly as his old legs would carry him, he ran toward Tamun and Dark.

Tamun lay on the ground, bleeding from a shallow wound on his forehead. Fin-Kedinn knelt down to examine him while Dark confronted Dar-Muin and Vera. He would be fine, but he was unconscious for now. The Raven leader breathed a sigh of relief, then stood to help Dark.

Several Raven hunters had been roused from their slumber and had come to Dark's aid already. Indeed, Dar-Muin and Vera had tried to escape with their son. After they had knocked Tamun unconscious—Dar-Muin held a short, thick stick; he must have used that as a weapon—Raven Clan had surrounded them.

"Why do you betray our hospitality?" Dark yelled at them, his voice furious. "You injured our warrior and tried to escape!"

"I was not aware we were prisoners!" Vera snapped at him. "We have every right to leave!"

"We did not want to come here," Dar-Muin snarled. "You confronted us at our weakest time; but we are strong now!" He raised his stick again, but Raven Clan was better armed.

"Stop." Fin-Kedinn's voice was cold. "Tamun will be fine. He is only unconscious. But Dark is right: you have betrayed our hospitality. While you were not prisoners before, you are now. Malor!"

At his leader's cry, Malor stepped forward from the crowd. "Yes, Fin-Kedinn?"

"Set a watch on their hut," he ordered. "Give them food and drink when they require it, but make sure your warriors do _not_ allow them to escape."

"But—" Malor protested, his eyes angry.

"Do not protest," Fin-Kedinn ordered. He would have pondered his deputy's reaction, but he was interrupted by the Willow Clan woman.

"We are strong now that it is night!" Vera hissed.

"Now that it is night?" Dark queried, stepping closer to them, his eyes intent. "And you are weak in the day?"

Vera scowled, realizing she had let something important slip. Dar-Muin glared furiously at his mate. Hiding behind their legs, Anar's eyes were wide with fear. He was still silent. Fin-Kedinn couldn't recall him speaking even once.

"That calls to mind a legend we had in Swan Clan," Dark said slowly. "Our mage told us a tale of a long ago ghost night... when an evil mage from a rival clan separated our shadows from our bodies. The shadows danced with the ghosts all the night, but we were able to catch them and tie them back during the day." His voice was deadly soft.

Fin-Kedinn's eyes widened. He was about to come to a conclusion when he heard a distant howl in the distance, distracting his thoughts. For a moment his spirits lifted—was it Wolf?—but his hopes fell when Dar-Muin's face turned ashen and he whispered, "It is Graytail. He's found us."

"Graytail?" Fin-Kedinn asked gruffly.

"He is the wolf who stalks us," Vera hissed, her eyes wide with fear. "He and his mate, Night; and their son, Gripper. The wolves haunt us. We have been running..."

"He's close," Dar-Muin growled. "Keep us here, and you'll lead them right to your camp. Do you want that?"

For a moment, Fin-Kedinn felt torn between protecting his clan and pursuing this mystery. Then he told himself he was a fool. Raven Clan was strong—they could protect themselves against three wolves.

"You will stay here," Fin-Kedinn ordered coldly. "You will stay until you tell us the truth—until you tell us what happened to Torak and Renn."

"We will never speak," Vera retorted.

The howl came again, but it seemed just a little more distant. Beside him, Malor shivered as if with fear.

Fin-Kedinn growled and spat on the ground at her feet. "Then you will never leave."


	5. Lost Shadows

Hey, I'm back! :D Here's chapter five!

* * *

**SHADOWED**

**CHAPTER FIVE**

**Lost Shadows**

* * *

Wolf bounded through the forest joyously, Darkfur running at his side. It was past the high of the Great Yellow Eye, but he did not feel the badness quite yet. The forest had begun to thin, and running had become easier on the more open ground. He yipped playfully at his mate, who yipped back, a laugh dancing in her eyes. The badness that came in the Dark had left for now, and Wolf fell strong and healthy.

A slight hint of the badness hissed in Wolf's chest, but he ignored it, focusing instead on the joy of the chase. He and Darkfur were chasing the Dark; seeing how long they could run before it came. Off in the distance, Wolf's sharp ears could hear Tall Tailless, the pack-sister, and the rest of their pack speaking to each other in tailless-talk as they moved slowly through the wood.

Darkfur gave him a Wolf's smile, baring her teeth in a friendly way. _The cubs are missing us._

Wolf agreed. _We will go back and lope with them._

_Yes,_ Darkfur said, turning away from her previous path and racing off ahead of him. Wolf decided to slow down a little, enjoying his surroundings.

He could still feel Darkfur's paws pounding the undergrowth up ahead, but their vibrations grew fainter and fainter. She did not turn back for him. She knew he would catch up when he felt like it.

Wolf pricked his ears. Something felt a little off. He felt as if something was following him. He growled low in his throat. Was it another wolf? What else would dare stalk him? He did smell wolf in the air, but it was mingled with his and Darkfur's scents. His growl deepened.

Suddenly, out of the bushes, a gray blur of fur exploded on top of him. Wolf, taken by surprise, was pummeled to the ground by the other wolf. He snarled and raked his claws over his opponent, who let go, as if startled by his strength.

Wolf scrambled to his feet, then looked up to glare at his opponent. The other wolf was very familiar. He was as big as he himself, with the same glaring grey eyes, the same angry stance... Wolf grew alarmed. This wolf looked like the other Wolf in the water. It looked like...him.

The other wolf attacked him again. Wolf fought him off bravely, but the Great Yellow Eye had begun to sink into the ground, he was growing weaker by the second. The other Wolf seemed to be growing stronger.

Slightly panicked, Wolf turned tail and ran. Shame bit at him alongside the growing badness, but he knew he could not have beat this other Wolf in a fair fight. Instead of returning to face his opponent, he raced off after Darkfur, toward Tall Tailless and the rest of his pack.

* * *

When Wolf ran into their newly set up camp, Renn almost dropped Innis in surprise. The little boy was growing sleepy and fatigued along with the rest of them, but his two-summers-old body was taking the return of the illness harder. She was about to lay her foster son down in his tiny, makeshift sleeping sack when Wolf burst through the trees, looking angry and intimidating.

Any normal child would have burst into tears at the sight, but Innis was used to the wolves. Instead he murmured to Renn, his eyes wide, "Is Wolf scared?"

"I don't know," she whispered to him, setting him down. "Be quiet. I need to talk to Torak."

Innis nodded. Renn stood up from her kneeling position and walked over to where Torak was talking to Wolf and Darkfur.

Pebble was listening in across the clearing, but Leaf and Twig, tired from the day's journey, were already asleep. Their "pack", as Torak and the wolves called it, had reached the edge of the Deep Forest and the Open Forest. They should reach the Raven Clan camp the next night if they traveled fast.

Renn always hated not knowing wolf-talk. When Torak and Wolf spoke together, she felt excluded at worst and uncomfortably awkward at best. She waited as Torak and Wolf exchanged grunts, whines, and movements, biting her lip.

Finally, Torak stood up and gazed at Renn, a troubled look in his eyes.

"What did he tell you?" Renn asked.

Torak shook his head, wincing at the effort. They both felt exhausted, she knew, and all she wanted to do was fall asleep. Now this... Renn felt grumpier by the second. She and Torak sat down on top of their sleeping sacks, next to the already-asleep Innis. Wolf and Darkfur curled up next to each other and their cubs, licking each other's ears.

"It was very strange," Torak said softly, as to not wake the sleeping cubs and child. "Something about _another wolf_ but _the same wolf_ and a fight."

"That's weird," Renn murmured, frowning.

Torak grunted in agreement. As around them, their camp grew quiet, he stood up and crouched down a ways from their sleeping sacks.

Renn coughed, the illness in her chest making her ache. Her skin was sticky, her morale low. "What are you doing?" she snapped at her mate.

"Making a fire," Torak snapped back. A few moments later, a low fire burned.

"Why?"

"In case that other wolf comes back," Torak growled, moving back over to his sleeping sack. "Wolves don't like fire."

"They don't seem to mind," Renn remarked, waving a hand at their wolf companions.

"They're used to it," Torak said. He yawned, stretching his arms out.

Renn frowned suddenly. A thought occurred to her. "Torak..." She yawned, too. She felt so exhausted. She coughed again, her eyes drooping.

"What?" Torak mumbled.

"Nevermind," she murmured, laying down on her sleeping sack. "I'll tell you tomorrow."

* * *

When Renn woke a little after dawn, she felt much better. Once Innis was taken care of—he had been a bit messy during the night—she gave him to Darkfur's care. She would watch over the boy while Renn talked to Torak.

Her mate was ready to go. Circles were under his eyes from lack of sleep, but he had his packs slung over his back.

"Hi," Renn rasped, her voice hoarse from the long night.

"Hi," he said back to her, looking at the ground.

"Last night, I would have talked longer, but I was so tired," Renn began.

"I haven't been sleeping well," he muttered so quietly Renn could barely hear him.

She pursed her lips. "Torak, look down at your feet."

He did. His expression was unimpressed. "What? All I see is dirt and leaves."

Renn shook her head. "Where's your shadow?'

He looked at the ground again, surprised. He opened his mouth in shock. "It's not there!"

"Neither is mine," she admitted. "Or Wolf's, or Darkfur's...or Pebble's or Innis's. Even the ravens don't have theirs anymore."

Torak glanced around the clearing, as if to confirm Renn's observation. "That's impossible!"

"I would think so," Renn said, "but look at us. Our shadows are gone. And...we're all sick, too."

"You think that's why?" Torak asked softly, his eyes wide. "We lost our shadows, and now we're sick?"

"I guess so," Renn said. "It makes sense."

He nodded slowly. "Yes. Lost shadows..." Torak trailed off. "We've _got_ to talk to Dark about this."

"Yes," Renn agreed. "Let's get moving."

They went to finish up packing. A few minutes later, they were ready. Renn went to go pick up Innis, to carry him for a while, but she frowned. Darkfur stood by Wolf, evidently chastising her naughty cubs, Twig and Leaf.

"They have shadows. The pups," Torak muttered.

"Yes...and they're not sick," Renn replied. "Where's Innis?" she asked.

Torak's eyes widened. He looked around the clearing. "He's gone!"

Wolf's ears perked and he looked back at Torak. They had a silent conversation. Torak paled. "Pebble took him and the ravens off to play. They haven't come back."

"We shouldn't be worried quite yet," Renn murmured, but Torak didn't seem to care.

"Their tracks lead off this way," Torak muttered, staring down at the ground. "Innis! Pebble!" he called out.

"Rip! Rek!" Renn joined him.

There was no answer. Torak stumbled off into the bushes. Renn followed him.

"They should be here," Torak growled. "But they're not!"

"Look! More tracks!" Renn exclaimed, pointing.

Torak paled. "Those look like Wolf's tracks." He glanced at Wolf, who looked at him in confusion. "But they're not."

"Maybe the other wolf he was talking about last night?" Renn supplied.

"Shadows..." Torak frowned, looking at Renn. "Maybe it was actually another _Wolf_—another _him_. His shadow."

"You think our shadows...became beings themselves?" Renn asked, her voice low.

"It's possible," Torak admitted.

"And if Wolf fought his own shadow..." Renn paled. "And these tracks belong to his shadow..."

"...maybe the shadow lured them off," Torak finished for her. They exchanged a long look of worry.

"Can you track them? While it's still light?" Renn asked pleadingly.

Torak nodded. "Come on," he said. "They went this way—follow me!"


	6. Escape to the Dead

'

* * *

**SHADOWED**

**CHAPTER SIX**

**Escape to the Dead**

* * *

It was the dead of night, and Dar-Muin was strong.

There were Raven warriors outside the hut he and his family were confined in. They were tired and grumpy, wanting to sleep instead of guarding the prisoners. Dar-Muin wanted to burst out of the hut and attack, killing them and sucking away their strength...

But, reluctantly, he realized he wasn't _that_ strong. Not yet. He wouldn't be until his Tall-Walker was dead.

_Torak_. That was the Tall-Walker's name. Dar-Muin could feel his sickness, the weakness brought from the separation the Mage Warrior had worked. He would be dead soon, along with his family. Then he and Vera could destroy the Raven camp, and be free...

The thought filled Dar-Muin with dark joy. He imagined the scene in vivid detail, closing his eyes to enjoy his fantasy. Deep inside, he knew that the destruction of Raven Clan would not end his troubles, but it would certainly make him feel better.

Dar-Muin changed position, sitting instead of lying down. Vera was asleep, wasting her energy. Still, it wasn't like she could do anything with it. Anar blinked up at him with glassy eyes. Dar-Muin scowled at the child and looked away.

He wondered what the Mage Warrior was doing. He was in the camp somewhere. Dar-Muin could feel his power, and the power of the pale Mage, the one ironically named Dark. Dar-Muin knew the Mage Warrior was close by, and that put him on edge. He and his family owed so much to him...he could force them to do anything to repay that debt.

There was a noise in the night: another howl. Anar let out a low moan. Dar-Muin froze in fear. It was Graytail. A second howl rose, joining the other; then a third. Night and Gripper were with him. The noise was close by. Panic rose in Dar-Muin's chest. He remembered the wolves' first attack. If it hadn't been for the Mage Warrior's healing magics, Vera would have died.

The only problem with the Tall-Walkers' imminent deaths was that the wolves' Tall-Walkers were among them. Not only would Torak, Renn, and their foster son Innis die, the wolves of their pack would meet their fate as well. Dar-Muin's family would grow stronger, but so would Graytail's. The human shadows would have to take power from at least a whole Clan to overcome their enemies.

A voice from outside interrupted his thoughts. "I'll go get Eter and Soki to relieve us," a light female voice said. "Wait here."

Hope leapt inside Dar-Muin. He glanced around the hut. Vera was still asleep. Anar was dozing off. Slowly, Dar-Muin rose to his feet. His son's eyes flew open.

"Shh," he warned the little boy. "Stay here. Don't make a sound."

Anar nodded silently, but stared at his father with wide eyes as he searched around for a possible weapon. Dar-Muin scowled as he found one. He supposed he was strong enough to drain one human. Licking his lips, Dar-Muin left the hut from its shaded entrance.

"Hey—" the remaining guard said in surprise. She didn't get any further. Dar-Muin placed one hand over her mouth and locked eyes with her.

Slowly, her bright blue eyes and auburn hair faded in color until they turned grey. Dar-Muin breathed in deeply as he felt his strength increase. Already he was taller than he was in full daylight, but he grew almost imperceptibly taller. As soon as he took his hand away from the guard's mouth, she crumpled to the ground, dead.

Dar-Muin glanced around furtively. No one had seen him and the guard's demise. He was free to go, though he needed to act quickly, before the relief guards came. He snuck across the camp, as silent and invisible as all his kind, and out of sight of any humans. He breathed deeply, feeling freer than he ever could have inside the camp.

He had escaped.

He was alone.

He had left his mate and child behind.

Dar-Muin muttered an oath under his breath. He had escaped, that was what mattered. Vera and Anar would only have hindered his quick flight. They would be fine. He could come back and get them sometime, after he had drained more humans and was strong enough to take on the whole of Raven Clan.

He pushed his guilt to the back of his mind and moved forward through the forest. He had no idea where he was going. This part of the forest was unfamiliar. Well, most of it was. He was a shadow, stuck to the ground. He had not had any memory or thought until the Mage Warrior had worked his rites to separate him from his Tall-Walker. Shadows and Tall-Walkers could only live together, never apart—Dar-Muin would eventually be pinned back to his human or consume Torak's strength.

It had to be the latter. Now that he had experienced a taste of freedom, now that he knew what _living_ was like...he couldn't go back to the way things had been.

Dar-Muin wandered aimlessly through Raven Clan's territory, wondering where he should go and what he should do. An idea struck him: he could find their Tall-Walkers—who were doubtless weak without their shadows—and drain them in their feeble state. But how to find them?

There was a croak above him. Dar-Muin tensed and looked up. Then he relaxed as he recognized the bird that had made the noise. It was Pokk, a raven's shadow. Beside him perched his sister, Det. They were the shadows of Torak's Rip and Rek. The two ravens had led him and his mate away from Graytail's pack after the first attack. They had since disappeared, but Dar-Muin knew he could trust them.

"Guardians," he whispered softly. "Guide me to the Tall-Walkers."

Det let out a second croak and spread her wings to fly. She and Pokk took off and soared overhead in the night sky. As Dar-Muin's eyes followed their path, he noticed with alarm that the sky was lightening to a pale gray. Dawn was coming. Doubtless, Raven Clan had noticed the dead guard and his absence. He shuddered to think what they were doing to his family.

He had to get strength, he told himself. Then he would return to save his family and destroy Raven Clan. The borrowed power from the guard he had drained would sustain him for at least a day, making him as strong as he was at night. He would be fine for a while.

The ravens led him to a secluded area. Dar-Muin shuddered as he recognized the stench of death. There were mounds of...something. It stank to the fast-fading stars, but he doubted he would be followed here.

He blinked. Suddenly, the ravens had vanished.

"Pokk?" he asked hesitantly. "Det?"

There was no response. A chill crawled up his back, raising the hair on his arms. He was alone.

He felt a cold presence behind him. He didn't dare turn around, fearing to disturb the presence. His belly filled with dread as he realized where he was: the Raven bone-ground.

He stood perfectly still, waiting for the ghost behind him to leave. The sun had now begun to poke its way over the horizon.

He stood for a very long time, waiting. At last he felt comfortable taking a step forward. The sun stained the morning sky pink. He had shrunk in his still position, his power decreasing, though he was still strong enough to fight if the need arose, unlike the time when he and Vera had been captured by the Ravens.

He took a few more steps, gagging at the stench. He had hardly breathed in his fear before, but now waves of dead-stink washed over him.

Then he froze once again at a very familiar voice behind him: "Don't move! I've an arrow knocked to my bow and I'm not afraid to shoot!"


	7. The Raven's Nest

**'**

* * *

**SHADOWED**

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

**The Raven's Nest**

* * *

"He's _gone_!"

The furious shout woke Dark with a start. He sat upright quickly, rubbing his eyes, and scrambled to his feet. He ran out to the main camp and stared in confusion at the scene before him.

It was still night. The air was cold. The stars shone mockingly up above him. People of the clan poked their heads out of their dens in confusion. In front of the den that held the captive shadows stood Malor, his face full of anger.

At his feet was a strange shape...and pale and colorless heap. Dark squinted as he approached Malor and the heap, trying to make out what it was. His breath caught as he realized the shape was a human body.

His pace quickened. Dark crouched down next to the Raven warrior, a young woman named Della, and took a shaky breath. She was dead. But what was most shocking was the hue of her face. Even in the poor light, with only torches to illuminate the scene, it was clear that all the color had been sucked right out her.

Dark felt like tracing the three-pronged sign against evil on the dirt beside her. There was something terribly wrong here.

"What _happened_ to her?" a strangled voice said beside him. It was Della's brother, Eter. His face was ashen, and shock was plain. "Is she...dead?"

Gravely, Dark nodded. Eter took a deep, sad breath. "I'd...I'd better go tell our parents..." he mumbled, stumbling away.

"He's _gone_," Malor repeated, his voice a furious hiss.

"Who's gone?" Dark asked, puzzled.

Malor shot a withering glare at him. Dark pursed his lips. The second-in-command never treated him with the proper respect, or indeed, any respect at all. They would have difficulties when he became leader.

"The evil one," Malor spat to him and the gathered crowd. "Dar-Muin. The shadow has fled!"

"He killed Della," a voice growled.

"Are the others gone?" someone else asked.

Malor shook his head. "They're in there, terrified." His lip curled. "As they should be."

"Kill them!" an angry shout rose from the crowd. "Kill the evil ones!"

There was a rumble of agreement. "I agree," Malor growled. "I will see to it myself."

Dark's eyes flashed with panic. Malor was no leader, to order prisoners killed. "Fin-Kedinn wanted them as captives, not corpses," he reminded the hotheaded man. "You're not leader yet, Malor."

Malor glared at him with intensity. "Well, where is Fin-Kedinn? He's not here!"

Dark frowned. Unfortunately, Malor was right. He turned to look for someone to fetch the leader, and was surprised to see Tamun helping the old man stumble out of his den. He would have much preferred the more level-headed man to be the future leader of Raven Clan, but Tamun often seemed more passive and obedient than leaderlike. Here he had done something of his own volition.

What surprised him more was the sorry state of Fin-Kedinn. Concerned that the Raven leader was having difficulties walking, he hurried over to the older man.

Fin-Kedinn looked sick. His steps were feeble, his eyes had dark shadows beneath them, and he looked so much frailer than he normally did.

"Fin-Kedinn?" Dark asked softly. "Are you okay? Are you ill?"

He coughed, a long, raspy sound. "I...I'll be fine, Dark," he said with a rough voice. "Just...a little tired...and old." He smiled weakly. "I won't be young forever."

"Fin-Kedinn!" Malor called out, approaching them. "Dar-Muin, the shadow, has killed Della and run away!"

Fin-Kedinn paled and his mouth flopped open. "_What_?" he exclaimed.

"The clan wants vengeance," Malor continued, a hum of anger in his voice. "We want death!"

"Death," a few people echoed. Dark shivered. He glanced up in the sky, waiting for dawn.

"Don't be so hasty," Dark warned. "We can still use Vera and Anar. They might know where Dar-Muin fled to."

"You want to let Della's murderers go free?" Malor hissed in outrage.

"I said nothing of the sort!" Dark protested. "I said we should keep them captive until they gave us the information we need!"

"Stop quarreling," Fin-Kedinn rasped. He bent over and began to cough. Tamun helped him to stand up straight again. "Thank you," he murmured to the young man. "Stop," he said again to Dark and Malor. "We will keep the two remaining shadows here. You two will press them for information. We will not kill them...unless they try to do violence on us again. And I..." He hesitated. "I must return to sleep. I am...weary."

He turned and stumbled back to his hut, Tamun helping him along the way. Dark turned to stare evenly at Malor. Neither of them were particularly pleased about this new arrangement, but they would have to live with it.

Malor turned to the silent crowd of Raven hunters. "We will have our revenge, in time," he promised. "Be patient. Della's death will be avenged."

"Go back to sleep," Dark said wearily. "Nothing will be achieved by this. Be ready to hunt in the morning. Life must go on. We will take care of Della in the morning." Her family had already gathered the body and taken it away grieve privately for a short while.

At last, with much grumbling, Raven clan returned to their beds, leaving Dark and Malor staring at each other with feigned cheer. "So..." Dark began. He walked over to the hut where Vera and Anar cowered in the corner, their eyes wide. Malor followed behind them.

"Evil ones," he growled, glaring at them. He spat on the ground at their feet. "Where did your companion go?"

Dark shot a warning glance at him. "Not so harsh," he murmured. Malor just glared at him.

"I don't know," Vera cried out, her voice cracking. "He just...left."

She looked broken and betrayed. Dark felt a spark of compassion. "He left you?" he said softly, crouching down beside her. "Did he say why?"

"No," she whispered, looking away. Dark felt a pang as he realized just how much she looked like Renn. If Renn ever looked like this because of something Torak did to her...he didn't know if he could handle that.

"I was asleep," she muttered.

"Daddy left because 'fraid," the little child Anar informed Dark solemnly.

"Coward," Malor hissed, still standing. Fury emanated from him.

Dark opened his mouth to scold his clanmate and to comfort the upset Anar, but he was interrupted before he began. There was another shout from outside: "Wolves!"

"Wolves?" Dark marveled, springing to his feet. Was it Wolf and Darkfur? Or the feared Graytail and Night?

Panicked, Vera clutched her son close to her. Dark's heart squeezed. She didn't seem like a fearsome and evil shadow. She seemed like a terrified young mother.

"Malor, go outside and guard," he snapped, authority in his voice.

"Don't order me around, Mage!" the arrogant man snapped.

Dark sprang to his feet and glared at him. "You are not leader yet, Malor, and don't pretend to be. You need to learn humility before Fin-Kedinn will let you take over. If you don't, he'll pick someone else. And until you do learn that lesson, _you will listen to me_. I am the Raven Mage, and _I am more powerful than you_." In an uncharacteristic act of violence, he shoved the shocked Malor a few paces back. "Now go out there and guard—don't you _dare_ talk to the prisoners. I need to deal with these wolves."

Cowed, Malor slunk outside to do as Dark commanded. Dark cast an apologetic glance toward the shadows and ran outside to face the wolves.

They certainly _looked_ like Wolf and Darkfur, and their son Pebble, but Dark knew that didn't mean anything. They could be shadows. They were unfriendly and angry around Raven Clan.

What shocked Dark was that there were _two_ identical wolves that he would have sworn were Pebble. One was definitely Pebble, the other, presumably, his shadow. Two ravens soared overhead, cawing loudly in alarm. And...among the wolves was a bruised and tear-stained child. A child identical to Anar.

Torak and Renn's baby.


	8. Old Friends and New Enemies

Merry Christmas!

* * *

**SHADOWED**

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

**Old Friends and New Enemies**

* * *

In front of Torak, the other man froze.

Renn's bow was indeed knocked with an arrow, and she sounded a lot braver than Torak felt. He still felt sick from the previous night, though he grew stronger with the rising sun. In front of him, the man stood motionless, his back facing them.

"I...did not mean to bother," he said in a voice that sounded familiar and alien all at once. Chills ran down his back, and Torak gripped his knife.

"What are you doing in the Raven bone-grounds?" Renn asked harshly. Torak remembered the first time he had come to Raven camp and smiled: he, too, had been lost in their bone-grounds while escaping.

"I'm...wandering," the man said, his back still turned to the couple.

"Turn around," Torak said.

The man didn't move.

"Turn _around_, I said!" Torak barked.

Frightened, the other man turned. Torak stopped breathing.

This man looked _exactly_ like him, from the little scars attained while hunting to his ragged brown hair. Torak could have been looking at his name-soul in the water.

In front of him, Renn gasped. "T-Torak?" she asked, nearly dropping her bow in surprise and shock. She turned her head to make sure her mate was still behind her, then raised her bow again and glared at the other man.

"I look familiar, don't I?" the other man said in a cool voice with just a slight undertone of apprehension. "Startling."

"Who _are_ you?" Torak growled, stepping forward to stand beside his mate.

The other man smiled slightly, malevolence glittering in his black eyes. Upon closer inspection, Torak noted that his clan-tattoos were those of Hawk Clan. Only, something was off. The markings were...blurry. Indistinct.

"I am Dar-Muin," the man said harshly, spreading his arms wide. "Creature of the night. I am your shadow, Tall-Walker; and soon you will be _mine_."

Renn loosed her arrow. It flew straight, right toward the shadow's heart, but to her and Torak's astonishment, the shaft soared right through him and into the bone-mound behind him.

There was an ominous moaning. Torak glanced around nervously.

"The ancestors are displeased," Renn whispered. "We must leave this place." She glanced at Torak and they wordlessly and simultaneously lunged toward Dar-Muin, each grabbing one of his arms. Dar-Muin struggled and protested, shouting out, "You cannot harm me with your weapons! I am not afraid!"

But his voice shook and his eyes betrayed his fear. Undaunted, Torak and Renn overpowered him and dragged him away from the ghosts and out into the open.

Dar-Muin flinched and hissed after being struck by the sun's light, but he eventually calmed down. After this, it was much easier to get him under control.

Renn dug through her pack, looking for some rawhide rope, while Torak restrained his shadow. The other man was cold to the touch, and Torak felt an odd pressure behind his eyes and his heels while he touched him. Dar-Muin spat and cursed them when Renn took her rope and tied his hands behind his back and his feet together.

At last, Torak felt comfortable letting go of the shadow. Still, he kept his body tense and ready to jump if the need arose, and his knife drawn.

"What are you doing here?" Renn asked harshly, squatting in front of their captive.

"I could ask the same of you," Dar-Muin retorted.

Torak gritted his teeth. He, Wolf, and Darkfur had led them this way while tracking Innis and Pebble. Darkfur, Wolf, and the cubs had gone off to hunt, and so did he and Renn. It was then that they had discovered Dar-Muin trespassing in the Raven Clan's bone grounds.

"You're the captive here," Torak growled. Dar-Muin only turned his head away and refused to answer. Frustrated, Torak slapped him on the cheek, leaving a red mark on his face. Dar-Muin groaned and turned his head back, glaring at him with black eyes full of hate.

"I escaped from the Ravens," Dar-Muin spat out with venom. "They were going to kill us, so I ran."

"Us?" Renn asked warily. "You mean...my shadow, and Wolf's and Innis's and the others'?"

"The demon wolves were not with us," their captive said, staring at the ground. "And...Vera and Anar are still their camp."

"You abandoned your family?" Torak asked in shock. "You left them to die?"

Dar-Muin only turned his head in shame.

"I don't think Raven Clan will kill them," Renn said thoughtfully. "Not without good reason, at least. Fin-Kedinn wouldn't allow it."

"They will be angered," whispered Dar-Muin. "I killed one of their hunters on the way out."

There was an awkward silence. "We've got to go there," Torak muttered at last. He locked eyes with Renn. "If the other shadows are there...and maybe Innis and Pebble..."

"Let's go," Renn agreed, standing up.

* * *

They dragged a protesting and fearful Dar-Muin along with them, trusting Wolf and Darkfur to be able to track them to the Raven's camp. It took them a good while to arrive in sight of the camp, and they were greeted with an unfriendly war cry.

A small group of warriors quickly surrounded them, bows ready and knives drawn. They lowered their weapons in shock as they realized that there were _two_ Toraks—one of them had to be real.

Quickly, they were shepherded to the camp's entrance, where Torak and Renn were greeted by an old friend.

"Dark!" Torak exclaimed happily.

"Torak! Renn!" Dark shouted, racing toward them. "It's really you!"

They embraced, and Torak was content for a moment. Then he heard another voice shout out, "Daddy!"

Up to him ran Innis on his two-summers-old legs. Torak reached down to greet his foster son and picked him up, raising the child high up into the air, laughing. Then Renn had to take a turn, hugging him fiercely.

"How did he get here?" Torak asked Dark. "Where's Pebble?"

"Pebble's with the sick man," Innis told his foster father solemnly from his mother's arms.

"Follow me," Dark said. He turned to a young man who stood beside him. "Tamun—"

"I'll put Dar-Muin with his family," the other man said quickly. "And..." He lowered his voice. "I'll make sure Malor doesn't bother them."

"Thank you, Tamun," Dark said gratefully. He glanced around, as if making sure that this Malor person hadn't overheard their conversation, then quickly moved on.

"Malor's being trouble?" Renn asked with a frown. Obviously, she remembered him from when she had lived with Raven Clan. The name sounded familiar to Torak, but it had been a long time, and he hadn't been raised among these people.

"Well..." Dark hesitated. "Fin-Kedinn has been grooming him for leadership, but he's gone a little blood-crazy recently. He wanted to kill the shadows and...he was quite vicious in the wolf attack last night. Plus, he's been grabbing as much power as he can. That man knows no limits."

"Wolf attack?" Torak asked in alarm.

Dark sighed, rubbing his temples. "I'd better fill you in."

He related to them the account of the past years, how Malor was going to be leader after Fin-Kedinn, and how Dark thought Tamun would be a better candidate in the long run. Then he continued with the visit of the Red Deer messenger and the appearance of the shadows, all the way up to the previous night.

"Here we are," Dark said at last. They had reached Fin-Kedinn's hut.

"Stay here, Innis," Renn said, putting her foster son down on the ground.

The three of them entered to see the great Raven Clan leader asleep, looking very ill. Pebble lay on the floor beside him, with recently bandaged wounds. He greeted Torak and Renn with a happy _whuff_.

_Where were you?_ Torak asked him in wolf-talk.

Pebble whined and replied, _The other wolves promised they would not harm the little tailless if I came. I followed. I am bad. _He hung his head in shame.

_You made sure the little tailless was not harmed,_ Torak reassured him. _It is well._

"Last night, Darkfur and Wolf attacked us," Dark said quietly. "Well...it looked like them. It may have been their shadows."

"It was," Renn said. "They were with us last night."

"We managed to fight them off and rescue Pebble and Innis," Dark said, "and he told us about his relationship to you." Dark's voice became even softer than it already was. "Torak...Renn...why didn't you _tell_ us? Why were you gone so long?"

There was a silence, where Torak and Renn guiltily avoided meeting anyone's eyes.

"Two summers," Dark said quietly. "Two summers...and no word. No sign of you."

"We're sorry," Renn whispered. "We just..."

"We didn't know how to come back, after a while," Torak said. "We let it go for so long...I didn't know how I could face you."

"We would have loved a visit," Dark murmured. "Please don't do this again. You don't have to live with us, but... we miss you. We love you. We want to see you every now and again."

"I'm sorry," Torak said. "We'll make sure it doesn't happen again."

There was a thick silence between them. Then Fin-Kedinn coughed.

Torak and Renn rushed over to him as he weakly tried to sit up.

"Help him up," Dark said from behind them. Torak and Renn hurried to do so.

"Is it...really you?" the Raven leader rasped.

"It's me," Renn said with tears in her eyes.

Fin-Kedinn smiled. "I—" he began.

There was a scream from outside. Dark ran out to see what the commotion was. Renn and Torak apologized to Fin-Kedinn and followed him.

"Go inside and stay there," Torak told Innis. Frightened, the child toddled in.

A strange scene awaited them. A man whom Torak vaguely recognized as Malor, the man Dark and Renn had spoken of, stood gripping Dar-Muin's throat. The shadow flailed and made whining noises, trying to escape Malor's grip. Malor himself had his eyes closed and was muttering under his breath.

"Malor, what are you doing?" Tamun shouted, racing toward him.

Dark flinched backward. "He's a mage!" he said in surprise. "Malor! What is he _doing_?"

At last, Malor flung Dar-Muin on the ground. The shadow lay there limply. Torak shuddered to see his own body looking like that.

"I did this so they _wouldn't_ come back!" Malor cried out in a thunderous voice. "And yet, they _come_!" He pointed a shaking finger at Torak and Renn." I will _not _be usurped the Soul Eater, the Outcast, the Spirit Walker—_or_ by Fin-Kedinn's bastard niece!"

Renn growled at the insult and drew her bow. She notched an arrow to it and shouted out, "You'll never be leader if you act like this, Malor!"

Malor spat on the ground. "I didn't count on the shadows going rogue. But I guess they take after their Tall-Walkers in that aspect."

"Malor!" Dark shouted, holding his arms up in the air. In one hand, he held the antler of a reindeer, painted and carved until it was almost unrecognizable. "Stand down, Malor! I do not want to fight—"

"Well, I _do_," snarled the Mage Warrior. "So be it. I will fight you, demonborn outsider, and I will take both the leadership of Raven Clan _and_ the position of Mage!"


	9. The Right to Wander

Thank you, LottiNotes, for being so supportive and leaving such wonderful reviews! Your reviews make my day every time I read them. Thank you once again, from the bottom of my heart, and in this the second-to-last chapter, I dedicate this fanfiction to you. :D

* * *

**SHADOWED**

**CHAPTER NINE**

**The Right to Wander**

* * *

Renn gritted her teeth in anger, glaring furiously at Malor. How dare he. How _dare_ he!

"How did you not know he was a mage?" she snapped at Dark.

The pale young man glared at her reproachfully. "It's not like I was looking for it! I would have found it if I had!"

"That counts for nothing now!" Torak exclaimed. Renn looked up. Malor was advancing on them, chanting some evil curse and holding a long, jagged knife.

Dark gripped his staff. "Torak, go rally the clan! Renn, stay and help me!"

"Who died and made you clan leader?" Torak protested. "Renn is of Raven Clan, they'll listen to her—"

"You're the Spirit Walker," Dark told him firmly. "They'll listen to you, too. Go!"

Torak stared stubbornly at his friend for a moment, then backed down and turned to face the still, shocked Raven Clan warriors.

"Back down, Malor!" Dark cried out. Renn notched an arrow to her bow, ready to shoot at any time.

Malor ignored him and continued to chant. Renn felt a sudden surge of pain right behind her eyes. There was a cry of anguish somewhere behind her. She resisted the urge to glance back and see the source of the noise. She heard Torak crying out, trying to rally the frightened Raven warriors.

"Now, Renn!" Dark hissed to her.

She drew back her arm, then let the arrow fly. It was aimed directly at Malor's heart. He was a man—a mage and a traitor, perhaps, but still a man, and not a shadow. The arrow ought to pierce through his chest and kill him.

But at the last second, something pushed Renn down. Her arrow loosed, but it soared harmlessly over Malor's head.

Renn screamed in rage, fighting the thing that had tackled her. She caught a glance of it as she turned over, and shock raced through her: its similarity to herself marked it clearly as her shadow, the one Dar-Muin had called Vera.

Renn wrestled her down, until she was on top of her shadow. "Why do you do this?" she demanded. Dimly, she could hear cries of something else around her: Dark was battling Malor.

Fear and despair filled Vera's eyes. "He called me to you," the shadow sobbed. Renn noticed she had the clan-tattoos of Willow Clan, but they flickered and vanished amidst her distress. An illusion.

Disgusted, Renn released her grip, standing up. "Touch me again and I'll kill you," she warned Vera.

The shadow shook her head. "You cannot. It would kill you, too."

Renn stepped on Vera's fingers. "Shut up." She turned back the fray, grabbing her bow and taking in the scene.

The Raven warriors had surrounded Malor and Dark, their knives and axes drawn. The two mages grappled with each other, Dark holding Malor off with his staff. Malor tried to position his knife so he could cut the wood in half, but with one jerk of his arm, the pale man sent the jagged blade flying.

Malor sprang away from his opponent, reaching for the knife, but Torak darted forward and grabbed it before the traitor could. Renn's mate leapt on top of Malor, holding the knife to his throat.

Dark scowled, his eyes flashing with anger. Renn marveled on the great change that leadership had brought in him. This was not the same boy she and Torak had taken from the mountains and into civilization. This was a great and powerful mage.

"What do you say, Malor?" he demanded, stepping in front of the Mage Warrior.

Malor said nothing for a moment, holding very still. Then he opened his eyes and whispered, "Dar...Muin..."

Surprised at the traitor's response, Torak loosened his grip slightly. Then, behind him, the crumpled figure of Dar-Muin rose, stumbling to his feet, and turned to race toward Torak.

"Torak!" Renn screamed in warning. "Look out!" She lifted her bow, ready to shoot, until she remembered that her arrow would only go straight through him without any harm.

Torak shoved Malor to the ground and turned to face his shadow.

"Torak, be careful!" Dark called out. "If you kill him, it will kill you too!"

Meanwhile, Malor had sprung to his feet. He raced away, shoving through the ring of Raven Clan hunters, and toward the hut where Innis and Fin-Kedinn were hiding.

Renn swore and ran after him, but she was too late. Malor brought the boy out, holding another knife right above her foster child's belly.

"Stop!" he cried out in a thunderous voice. "Stop, or the boy dies!"

Torak, about to hit Dar-Muin on the head with the butt of the knife, forze. His shadow kicked him to the ground and stepped on his stomach with great force, driving the wind out of Torak's lungs. Vera raced away, back to the hut where the unconscious form of Tamun lay. Renn presumed her baby, Anar, was in there.

Dark took a step forward, his staff raised. "Malor—" he began.

"No!" he hissed. "This ends now, outsider! I am the Mage Warrior, and you will surrender to me now or the boy dies!"

Renn lowered her bow. "Malor—" she protested, a pleading note in her voice.

She was interrupted by a howl, sounding very close by. Her spirits soared. Wolf was coming!

Malor's face went deathly pale. "The wolves," he whispered, fear in his eyes for the first time in this entire confrontation. "The wolves..."

He dropped Innis and looked around wildly, searching for an escape. Renn laughed merrily. "They have come!" she exclaimed. "Wolf and Darkfur!"

"No, it is their shadows!" Malor cried out in panic. His mood spread to the clan, who shifted and began to murmur uncomfortably. "They will devour us all, they are savage!"

"If they do, then you will die with us," Dark said harshly.

There was a shout of rage at the other end of the camp. Renn whipped her head around to see that Tamun had risen. He shouted something into the hut he was guarding, most likely a curse to Vera and Anar.

Then he picked up a bow and arrow, aiming at Malor. The Mage Warrior didn't notice, for Pebble had come out of the den, his teeth bared, growling.

Malor's breath came quick and panicked. He backed away slowly, his eyes wide, his lips moved silently, and fear showed in his every move.

"Turn around, Malor!" Tamun called out in rage. "Turn and meet your fate!"

Shocked, Malor turned. Tamun loosed his arrow. It flew in a beautiful arc over the camp, then curved down and landed straight in Malor's neck. Blood spurted from the hole in his throat, and, stunned that he had been vanquished, he toppled over to the ground, dead.

Renn let loose an explosive breath that she had not been aware she was holding in. Then she ran up to the wide-eyed, quivering Innis and scooped the boy up in her arms.

"It's okay, honey, we're safe now," she whispered, hugging him tight. "We're safe now."

"But are we?" Dark said ominously. "We don't know if those wolves were Wolf and Darkfur, or their shadows." He turned and pointed with his staff to the shadows. Dar-Muin, as soon as Malor had been killed, had run away from Torak and joined his mate and son in the hut. "And what are we going to do with them?"

There was a yip from the front of the camp, the sound of a wolf cub. Renn turned to see Leaf and Twig bounding up to their brother. Pebble whined and raced up to greet them. Wolf and Darkfur came a slower pace, their tails wagging and their eyes bright.

Torak ran up to Wolf and greeted him in a wolfish fashion. Renn could tell from the noises he was making and the way he moved that they were having a conversation in wolf-talk.

Torak turned back to the clan and announced, "They met with the other wolves, Graytail and Night. They fought, and Wolf and Darkfur won. The other wolves are waiting outside the camp. Will you allow them to come in?"

There was a murmur of worry from the Raven Clan, but Dark said firmly, "Let them in." He turned to the hunters of the clan and ordered, "Go back to your huts now. We will manage this ourselves."

"What if there is a fight?" someone called out.

"Then we will call for you," Torak told them.

The clan dispersed quickly, leaving only Dark, Torak, Renn, Innis, the wolves, the shadows, and Malor's body in the clearing that served as the camp's common ground.

Dark turned to the shadows. "Come out here," he commanded. "And where is Tamun?"

"I think he went to his hut," Renn replied.

"I'll get him," Torak said. A few moments later, he returned with Tamun behind him.

Tamun was shaking. "What is it, Mage?" he asked Dark, not meeting his eyes.

"Call me Dark," the mage said firmly. "You did well today, Tamun. You will have to cleanse yourself after killing a hunter, but you did well."

"Thank you, Dark," Tamun said, flustered.

Renn crossed her arms and glared at the shadows. Graytail, Night, and their son Gripper, had come into the camp, their heads hanging low in shame, and they sat beside the human-shaped shadows. "What are we going to do with them?" she demanded.

Dark frowned. "I don't know," he admitted. "Maybe we should ask Fin-Kedinn."

"Ask me what?" Fin-Kedinn said in a tired voice, leaning against the hut for support. Renn rushed over and draped one of his arms around her shoulders, helping the Raven leader stand upright.

"Fin-Kedinn!" Dark exclaimed. "Are you feeling well?"

"Better," the old man said, his voice gravelly. "But..." He shook his head slowly. "I don't think I can keep being your leader after this."

"No!" Tamun protested. "It's not your fault you were ill in this time of trial, you have led us for years! You are the greatest leader in the Open Forest!"

"I _was_ the greatest leader in the Open Forest," Fin-Kedinn corrected. "I am no longer. I did not see that Malor was a traitor, and I am old and weak." He sighed. "But I do not have a successor any longer."

Dark lifted his eyebrows, glancing at Tamun. "We'll talk about that later," he said. "Now, we need to deal with the shadows."

"We will return to the earth beneath your feet if you wish it so," Vera said quietly, looking at the ground. "You have conquered us. You have the right to imprison us once again."

"Are all shadows like this?" Torak asked, curious.

Dar-Muin glanced up at his Tall-Walker briefly. "Yes. But we sleep beneath your feet, and we are not aware we are trapped." His voice lowered. "Now we have tasted freedom, and we will not sleep...we will see you and dream it is us. We will know what it is to be free, and we will thirst after that feeling again."

Renn glanced at Dark. "Can you put them back?"

The pale young man scratched his head. "Maybe," he said dubiously. "Well. Yes. Probably. I'd need some help."

Renn sighed. "I was going to be Mage after Saeunn, until you came," she said reluctantly. "I suppose I can help."

Dark smiled at her gratefully. "But..." He frowned again. "I don't know. They won't like that."

"Who cares what they would like?" Renn snapped. She pointed up at the sun, which was floating closer and closer to the horizon. "The sun will set soon, and then we will fall ill again. I do not want to be ill the rest of my life only because these shadows, who tried to _kill_ us, don't want to be trapped!"

"We are wanderers," Torak agreed. "We want to wander again, and be free ourselves—free of sickness!"

"Wait," Innis said quietly.

Renn looked down at her foster son. "Yes, Innis?" she asked, a little impatiently.

"They are you," he said simply. "Your shadows. Almost you. They are wanderers, too." He looked up at his foster mother, trust in his eyes, and said, "Can they wander and have us not be sick?"

Dark bit his lip, thinking. "I don't know," he mused. "Maybe. I...I can think of a possibility, but it might not work."

The shadows looked hopeful now, and Renn finally saw them as people, not just enemies. They had been forced into this by Malor, and even if they hadn't, Innis was right—they were wanderers, too. They wanted what Torak and Renn had: the right to wander.

The pale mage looked at Fin-Kedinn. "If the shadows were tied to their Tall-Walkers in the day, but could wander in the night, would that be fair?"

Fin-Kedinn nodded. "Yes," he said. "That is good." He leaned out of Renn's arms, standing on his own. "I am no one to look to for approval," he said sadly. "Not anymore."

Dark drew himself up, then stared at the shadows. "Then that will be done," he said firmly. "I will need Renn's help, but I think I can make it so you both have what you want."

"Thank you," Dar-Muin said quietly.

"When will you do this?" Renn demanded. "I can already feel the sickness coming back."

"Tonight," Dark said. "Come with me, and I will explain what I need you to do..."


	10. A New Beginning

Thank you for reading! This last chapter has its flaws, but I like how it ended. :) Enjoy, and thanks again for reading!

Listening to "The Last Goodbye" from the end credits of the Hobbit 3 while editing this was not a good idea...I'm getting emotional again ;_;

* * *

**SHADOWED**

**CHAPTER TEN**

**A New Beginning**

* * *

Dark didn't want to see them go.

Torak, Renn, and the wolves had left once already, and they hadn't come back. They promised they would visit, but they had said that last time, too. What hurt even more was that Fin-Kedinn was going with them.

These people were as much a part of Dark as he was. Torak and Renn had found him on the Ghost Mountain and taught him that there were still good people in this world. Wolf and Darkfur had showed him friendship and kindness from the very night they met him. Fin-Kedinn had built him into who he was now.

The clan had celebrated last night with a great feast. They were safe now, safe from the wolves and the other shadows, all of whom had been successfully tied back to their Tall-Walkers, and they were celebrating the leadership and life of their great leader, Fin-Kedinn.

Today they were leaving. They were properly outfitted for the summer's weather, and they had enough supplies to last them for a while.

Torak came up to him and embraced him. Dark hugged him back fiercely.

"I'll miss you," he whispered.

Torak grunted. "Yeah," he admitted. "Me, too." They broke apart and smiled at each other. Dark fought to keep himself from tearing up.

Renn came next, dragging Innis along behind her. Dark knelt down and said to the boy very seriously, "I'll see what I can do about your problem, Innis. I'll travel to the Deep Forest and ask Durrain if she can help."

"Thanks, Dark," Innis said with a shy smile. Dark sincerely hoped that the boy could get a body to match his mind someday, but he didn't know how much Magecraft could help in that area.

He stood up and hugged Renn. They broke apart and he said, "You will come visit?"

She laughed. "Of course. It will be good to see you and the rest of the clan again, even if I don't really belong here anymore."

"I wish I could go with you," he said sadly.

"You belong here, with people," Renn said gently. "I only wish Torak and I did, too. But we're happy this way, as wanderers, and...well..." She glanced down at her feet, where her shadow clutched the ground. "And Vera is too."

Fin-Kedinn came last, clasping Dark's hands. "I am proud to call you my friend, Dark," he said seriously. "You have become so much. I trust you'll help Tamun lead the clan?"

"Of course," Dark confirmed, choking up a little. This man was more a father to him than his own had ever been. He traced the clan-tattoos he now bore, those of Raven Clan. Fin-Kedinn had given him these, not his father.

"I'm proud of you," the retired Raven Leader said. "We'll visit, I promise. I'll make them." He smiled, and Dark smiled in return.

"Goodbye," he said quietly as they all turned their backs. The wolves—Wolf, Darkfur, and their cubs—were waiting for the humans at the camp exit. Rip and Rek sat in a tree next to Dark's raven, Ark.

He watched them leave, the ravens taking flight and following. Dark sighed.

Tamun walked up to him and said quietly, "They left?"

He nodded, blinking back tears.

Tamun sighed. "Somehow I didn't really think he would go with them, even after he told us."

"Yeah," Dark murmured. "I know."

"He's always been with the clan, and now..." Tamun trailed off. "Now I'm supposed to be what he was to me. A leader." He shook his head. "I think he should have picked someone else. I mean, Malor was a traitor, but he knew what he was doing."

"No," Dark protested, turning to face the other man, who was only a little bit older than himself. "You'll be a great leader, Tamun. Strong and wise and thoughtful. You'll listen to people, something Malor never did. You'll need some help, of course, but I'll be here to help you." He grabbed his shoulders and looked into Tamun's eyes.

The other man looked down. "I don't know..."

"Look at me," Dark ordered. Tamun looked up. "You _will_ be a great leader, Tamun. But you've got to believe in yourself. If you're doubting yourself at every turn, you'll hold yourself back."

"You really think so?" Tamun said, hope tinging his voice.

"I really do," he replied firmly.

Tamun straightened and stood up to his full height. Something in his eyes had changed. He took a deep breath and smiled.

"Fin-Kedinn is gone," he said, "but I'm still here. And even though I don't know if I can do it, I'm going to try to lead this clan, because I am who he chose."

"Good," Dark said, smiling. "Come on, Tamun. Let's go back to the clan."

* * *

**THE END**


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